2018 in Australian television

This is a list of Australian television-related events, debuts, finales, and cancellations that are scheduled to occur in 2018, the 63rd year of continuous operation of television in Australia.

List of years in Australian television
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Events

January
Date Event Source
1 The ABC's coverage of the annual midnight Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks is watched by 1.49 million viewers [1]
Gerard Whateley announced he is leaving the ABC after a 17-year career, including as host of Offsiders, moving to radio station 1116 SEN. [2]
7 SBS airs a three-hour commercial and commentary-free program The Ghan which follows The Ghan train from Adelaide to Darwin in the first locally produced slow television event series. It becomes the channel's highest rated broadcast in 12 months with 583,000 national viewers. Sister channel SBS Viceland runs a 17-hour extended version the following weekend lasting from 2:40am to 8:30pm. [3]
8 Following accusations around inappropriate conduct of actor Craig McLachlan in a stage show, the ABC removes all episodes of The Doctor Blake Mysteries, which McLachlan starred in, from its channels and ABC iview. Producers of the series December Media also announce they are temporarily suspending production of a future season for the Seven Network. [4]
17 Seven Network soap opera Home and Away marks 30 years since its debut on 17 January 1988. The program, which is the second longest-running Australian drama, begins its 31st season on 29 January. [5]
22 Georgie Gardner debuts as co-host of Today following the exit of Lisa Wilkinson in October 2017 [6]
31 World Movies, an original launch channel on Foxtel in 1995, closes as a linear channel, continuing on only as an on demand offering and a branded segment on other movie channels. [7][8]

February
Date Event Source
9 The ABC holds its first Annual Public Meeting, which involves the ABC Board taking publicly submitted questions. [9]
9–25 The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea aired on the channels of the Seven Network [10][11]
11 The official 2018 OzTam television ratings period begins [12]
28 Eurosport News, FX Australia and Nat Geo People cease broadcasting on all Australian platforms [13]

March
Date Event Source
1 Discovery Channel and TLC become available on Fetch TV [14]
9 Bill McDonald is removed as co-anchor of Seven News Brisbane. [15]
12 Fiona O'Loughlin wins the fourth season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! [16]
22 Claudia Anton wins the fourth season of The Great Australian Bake Off [17]
25 A two-week suspension in OzTam television ratings begins for the Easter break. [12]
Network Ten and its primary channel record their lowest ever weekly share for the 18–25 March 2018 week since OzTAM ratings began in 2001. [18]
29 The Nine Network secures the rights to televise the Australian Open tennis tournament from 2020–24. However, three months later, the deal is brought forward by twelve months. [19]

April
Date Event Source
2 "X Games Sydney" win the inaugural season of Australian Spartan [20]
4–15 The 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Queensland will air on the channels of the Seven Network [21]
8 Official OzTam ratings resume after a two-week non-ratings period over Easter. [12]

May
Date Event Source
6 Alex and Emily win the ninth season of My Kitchen Rules [22]

June
Date Event Source
18 Sam Perry wins the seventh season of The Voice [23]
25 The Nine Network secures the rights to televise the Australian Open tennis tournament from 2019 onwards, twelve months earlier than planned. [24]
29 Better Homes and Gardens airs its 1,000th episode [25]

July
Date Event Source
1 The 60th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were held at The Star Gold Coast. As well as being staged in Queensland for the first time, the event introduced a number of changes including live re-voting, reducing the number of award categories, renaming of publicly voted categories and eligibility changes. The ceremony was held much later in the year than previous ceremonies to avoid clashing with the 2018 Commonwealth Games also being held on the Gold Coast. [26]
30 Toad and Mandy win the sixth season of House Rules [27]
31 Sashi Cheliah wins the tenth season of MasterChef Australia [28]

September
Date Event Source
24 The ABC Board sacks managing director Michelle Guthrie halfway through her five year contract. [29]
27 Chairman of the ABC Justin Milne resigns after claims emerge about political interference at the ABC and the surprise sacking of Michelle Guthrie days earlier. [30]

October
Date Event Source
4 For the first time in the Australian version of The Bachelor, Nick Cummins fails to choose a winner in the finale of the sixth season. [31]
9 Shane Gould wins Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders, the fifth season of Australian Survivor [32]
11 Major glitches ruins what was to be Ian Henderson's final ABC News Victoria bulletin, with the New South Wales bulletin instead broadcast. He eventually presents his final bulletin the following evening, with Tamara Oudyn named as his replacement. [33][34]
28 Hayden and Sara win the fourteenth season of The Block [35]
31 Network Ten launches a major network branding, including introducing a new logo for the first time since 1991. Channel Ten becomes Channel 10, while multichannels ONE and ELEVEN are rebranded as 10 Boss (later renamed to 10 Bold) and 10 Peach respectively. [36]

November
Date Event Source
2 Sky News Live sacks Ross Cameron after making racist comments as co-host of Outsiders, becoming the second original co-host to be fired due to controversial comments made on the program after Mark Latham in 2017. [37]
15 Ali Oetjen chooses Taite Radley in the finale of season four of The Bachelorette. [38]
25 Lai Utovou wins the inaugural season of All Together Now. [39]

December
Date Event Source
1 The last day of the official 2018 OzTam television ratings period. [12]
18 Weekend Today Co-Host Peter Stefanovic announces he's leaving the Nine Network after 15 Years.

Television channels

New channels

Renamed channels
  • 31 October - Eleven to 10 Peach, One to 10 Boss
  • 17 November - Food Network to SBS Food
  • 10 December - 10 Boss to 10 Bold

Channel closures

Premieres

Television programs which debut for the first time on Australian television.

Domestic series
List of domestic television series premieres
Program Original airdate Channel Source
Romper Stomper 1 January 2018 (2018-01-01)Stan[44]
Hughesy, We Have a Problem 30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)Network Ten[45]
Grace Beside Me 16 February 2018 (2018-02-16)NITV[46]
Australian Spartan 25 February 2018 (2018-02-25)Seven Network[47][48]
Bachelor in Paradise Australia 25 March 2018 (2018-03-25)Network Ten[49]
Picnic at Hanging Rock 6 May 2018 (2018-05-06)showcase[50]
Love Island Australia 27 May 2018 (2018-05-27)9Go![51]
Bite Club 15 August 2018 (2018-08-15)Nine Network[52]
Bluey 1 October ABC Kids (Australia) Disney Junior (Internacional)
Paramedics 4 October 2018 (2018-10-04)Nine Network[53]

International series
List of international television series premieres
Program Original airdate Channel Country of origin Source
S.W.A.T. 14 January 2018 (2018-01-14)FOX8United States[54]
SEAL Team 28 January 2018 (2018-01-28)Network TenUnited States[55]
Hard Sun 7 February 2018 (2018-02-07)Seven NetworkUnited Kingdom[56][57]
Celebrity Big Brother 11 February 2018 (2018-02-11)9Go!United States[58]
Blue Planet II 17 February 2018 (2018-02-17)Nine NetworkUnited Kingdom[59]
Corporate 22 February 2018 (2018-02-22)The Comedy ChannelUnited States[60]
The Resident 26 February 2018 (2018-02-26)Seven NetworkUnited States[61][62]
Wellington Paranormal 31 July 2018 (2018-07-31)SBS VicelandNew Zealand[63]

Programming changes

Changes to channel affiliation

Criterion for inclusion in the following list is that Australian premiere episodes will air in Australia for the first time on a new channel. This includes when a program is moved from a free-to-air channel's primary channel to a digital multi-channel, as well as when a program moves between subscription television channels – provided the preceding criterion is met. Ended television series which change networks for repeat broadcasts are not included in the list.

List of domestic television series which changed channel affiliation
Program Date New channel Previous channel Source
List of international television programs which changed channel affiliation
Program Date New channel Previous channel Country of origin Source
The Simpsons28 February 2018 (2018-02-28)7mateElevenUnited States[64]

Free-to-air premieres

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian free-to-air television that had previously premiered on Australian subscription television. Programs may still air on the original subscription television network.

List of international television programs which premiered on free-to-air television for the first time
Program Date Free-to-air channel Subscription channel Country of origin Source

Subscription premieres

This is a list of programs which made their debut on Australian subscription television, having previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air (first or repeat) on the original free-to-air television channel.

List of domestic television programs which premiered on subscription television for the first time
Program Date Free-to-air channel Subscription network(s) Source

Returning programs

Australian produced programs which are returning with a new season after being absent from television in the previous calendar year.

List of returning domestic television series
Program Return date Channel Original run Source
Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation 21 May 2018 (2018-05-21) Nine Network 2009-2012 (Ten) [65]
Sports Tonight 15 July 2018 (2018-07-15) Network Ten 1993-2011 [66]
All Aussie Adventures 5 August 2018 (2018-08-05) Network Ten 2001-2004 [67]
Blind Date 15 October 2018 (2018-10-15) Network Ten 1991 [68]

Endings
List of domestic television series endings
Program End date Network Start date Source
Blind Date 19 December Network 10 15 October [69]
The Checkout 17 April ABC 21 March 2013 [70]
Game of Games 15 December Network 10 7 October [69]
ScreenPLAY 27 April 7mate 29 June 2017 [71]
Shark Tank 7 August Network Ten 8 February 2015 [72]

Deaths
Date Name Age Broadcast credibility References
16 January Moya O'Sullivan 91 Actress known for Number 96 as Pyillis Pratt and Neighbours as Marlene Kratz [73]
17 January Jessica Falkholt 29 Actress in the television series Home and Away as Hope Morrison. [74]
4 May Cathy Godbold 33 Actress best known as role in Home and Away as Meg Bowman [75]
28 May Cornelia Frances (OAM) 77 Actress starred in The Young Doctors, Sons and Daughters, Home and Away and hosted The Weakest Link [76]
9 July Sam Chisholm (AO) aged 78 New Zealand born Australian media executive, known for the Nine Network [77]
1 December Judy McBurney 70 Actress best known for her roles in The Young Doctors as Tania Livingstone and in cult series Prisoneras Sandra "Pixie" Mason [78]
26 December Penny Cook 61 Australian actress best known for serial A Country Practice as Vicki Dean Bowen, E Street as Dr. Elly Fielding, and Neighbours as Prue Brown and presenter of The Great Outdoors [79]

See also

References
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  3. Samios, Zoe (11 January 2018). "SBS Viceland to run 17 hour un-cut version of The Ghan this weekend". Mumbrella. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  4. Knowles, Lorna (8 January 2018). "Craig McLachlan: Doctor Blake makers put production on hold pending police investigation". ABC News. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
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